When Mazda was looking for inspiration for their next concept vehicle[2], they decided to focus upon resource that is the most important for life on earth: water. As a result they developed the low-emission, droplet shaped Mazda Kiyora[3], a car that not only features a liquid display system, water inspired colors and solar panels, but is also capable of capturing and purifying[4] rain as it falls from the sky!

Whenever the Mazda Kiyora[3] drives through the rain, its roof collects the rainwater and channels it through an activated carbon filter. It then takes that water and fills a purification bottle designed by Lifesaver[5]. This bottle can then be used for drinking water.

But turning rainwater into drinking water is only one of the Kiyora’s tricks. The vehicle comes fitted with solar panels[6] that provide electricity to the interior systems, and its seats are made by using only two components (the skeleton and a flexible textile), meaning that they use less materials than a standard seat. Finally, Mazda is working on developing a liquid-skin display system for the vehicle – something akin to the screen systems used in the film Minority Report:

“When the car is off, the IP looks like ice, frozen and hard. When the car is switched on, the display appears to turn into water. Information icons would appear and float downwards to pre-programmed positions in front of the driver. The driver would be able to move the icons around with his finger and could even organise them however he wished. He could lip through menus, select settings for temperature, and even send an email.”

But let’s face it: these days a vehicle can’t compete unless if it isn’t part of the solution against global warming. So while we are impressed with Mazda’s incredibly cool looking vehicle, we were a bit disheartened to learn that the vehicle uses a 1.3 litre four-cylinder engine that, while highly efficient[7], does little to sever its ties to fossil fuels.